Children's education is being hit by poor broadband connections in rural areas, according to a new report.

One in five families reliant on the internet for children's schoolwork said they could not access online resources , a study by insurance firm NFU Mutual showed .

The survey of 1,600 adults, mainly from rural areas, revealed that many make more phone calls because of poor broadband connections.

Tim Price, of NFU Mutual, said: "As more educational resources become internet-based, country children risk falling behind their urban counterparts.

"Studying via the internet is now a key part of children's education and it's unfair that learning opportunities are being affected by slow internet speeds."

Communications Minister Ed Vaizey said: "Government knows how vital broadband can be to people's daily lives and what an important role it plays in education, from schoolchildren being able to do their homework to accessing information.

"We are making sure that thousands of people across the country, particularly in rural areas, are getting access to superfast broadband. We are well on track to deliver superfast broadband to 95% of the UK by 2017."